Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes is a level III qualified fitness trainer, level II reiki practitioner, and senior fitness writer at Future PLC, the publisher of Tom's Guide. She is also about to undertake her Yoga For Athletes training course. Having trained to work with mind and body, Sam is a big advocate of using mindfulness techniques in sport and fitness, and their impact on performance. She’s also passionate about the fundamentals of training and building sustainable training methods. When she's not writing up her experiences with the latest fitness tech and workouts, you’ll find her writing about nutrition, sleep, recovery, and wellness.
Latest articles by Sam Hopes
9 things I wish I had known as a CrossFit beginner
By Sam Hopes published
We reveal nine tips for CrossFit beginners just starting out, whether the goal is to lift heavy weights, build muscle and strength, or learn calisthenics.
Forget sit-ups — this 3-move dumbbell standing ab workout chisels your abs and obliques
By Sam Hopes last updated
These three standing ab exercises work your entire body using minimal equipment. Here's how to do them with proper form.
Still on sale! My favorite Adidas hiking shoe is an incredible 41% off for Cyber Monday
By Sam Hopes last updated
Still available in various sizes and colors, plus men's and women's options, there’s plenty to love about saving big on the Adidas Terrex AX4 hiking shoe.
I wore the Apple Watch Series 7 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 for a 500-calorie HIIT workout — and the results shocked me
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer did a 500-calorie kettlebell workout wearing the Apple Watch Series 7 and Garmin Vivoactive 5. Here are the results.
I did 70 kettlebell push-ups every day for one week — here's what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are single-sided kettlebell push-ups, how do you do them and what happens when you do 70 reps a day for one week? We found out.
Jennifer Aniston's 3 favorite ab exercises to sculpt and strengthen muscles using one resistance band
By Sam Hopes last updated
These are Jennifer Aniston’s 3 best resistance band exercises to sculpt muscle and strengthen abs, according to her personal trainer.
Forget kettlebell swings — it takes 3 moves and 20 minutes to sculpt muscles
By Sam Hopes last updated
This three-move kettlebell workout sculpts full-body muscle in just 20 minutes without kettlebell swings. Here's how.
My favorite Adidas hiking shoe is still an incredible 72% off for Black Friday
By Sam Hopes last updated
Available in various sizes and colors, plus men's and women's options, there’s plenty to love about saving big on the Adidas Terrex AX4 hiking shoe.
Forget planks — I did 100 sphinx push-ups every day for a week, and here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are sphinx push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if you do 100 reps per day for a week? Our writer decided to find out.
Forget push-ups — these 5 dumbbell exercises chisel defined pecs, triceps and shoulders
By Sam Hopes published
These five dumbbell exercises build upper-body muscle definition and strength without push-ups, and here's how.
I just bought these $25 workout leggings in the Gymshark Black Friday sale — save 70% now
By Sam Hopes last updated
Save on your favorite workout leggings with this huge discount during Gymshark Black Friday sales.
3 best strength exercises to sculpt full-body muscle — according to an 8x CrossFit Games athlete
By Sam Hopes last updated
Sculpt a stronger body and build full-body muscle with these 3 best strength exercises, according to 8x veteran CrossFit Games athlete Brent Fikowski.
Kettlebell halo exercise: How to do it and the benefits for sculpting your core and shoulders
By Sam Hopes last updated
Learn how to do the kettlebell halo exercise, the benefits for your core and shoulders, common mistakes and variations to try.
3 best kettlebell exercises for chiseling back and biceps muscles, according to a master trainer
By Sam Hopes last updated
Master kettlebell coach Mike Silverman shares 3 top kettlebell exercises to build strength and muscle in your back and biceps.
The Gymshark Black Friday sales have finally landed — save over 50% with 11 incredible deals to shop
By Sam Hopes last updated
The best Gymshark early Black Friday deals available to shop right now, from leggings to jackets and the best sports bras.
I'm a PT — Here are 7 things I wish I'd known before I started lifting heavy weights
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer reveals seven lessons worth learning before you lift heavy weights to build muscle and strength.
I'm a personal trainer — this is the best standing ab exercise that also torches your whole body
By Sam Hopes last updated
I'm a personal trainer, and the farmer's hold is one of the best standing ab exercises that also torches your whole body.
Treadmill farmer’s walk: How to do it and the benefits of building strength while walking with weights
By Sam Hopes last updated
Learn how to do the treadmill farmer’s walk, benefits, common mistakes and variations to try.
Forget Russian twists — 5 standing ab exercises that sculpt your core muscles using one kettlebell
By Sam Hopes last updated
These five kettlebell standing ab exercises work your entire upper body using one weight. Here's how to do them properly.
I've been teaching weightlifting for years — 3 tips for growing muscle using dumbbells
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer reveals three tips for growing muscle and building strength using free weights at home or in the gym.
Forget squats — I'm a PT, and these 5 best glute exercises also strengthen your back
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer reveals the five glute exercises you need that also strengthen your lower back without weights.
I ran 5K with the Apple Watch Series 7 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 — and the results surprised me
By Sam Hopes published
Here's what happened when we tested the Apple Watch Series 7 and Garmin Vivoactive 5 head to head during a 5K run.
I tried kettlebell Gladiator Get-ups every day for one week — here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
What happens when you do the kettlebell gladiator get-up exercise every day for one week? Our writer found out.